CO129-351 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 473

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to our advantage than otherwise, having been placed

there by Chinese from Hong Kong, who were either

British subjects or had sailed there in registered

junks from a British port as British protégés.

Thus we conclude the impossibility of any but

temporary occupations of the Atoll of Pratas up till

last year (1907).

Newman

During the winter of last year Mr. H. K. Carse-

(one of your present correspondents) as the

result of some experience in such matters, and of

certain information which reached him through the

Master of a Hong Kong - Manila Steamer, decided to

go and prospect, the Atoll of Pratas for Guano and

Phosphate rock, and leaving Hong Kong on January 10th

in a chartered sea-going junk he reached Pratas upon

the morning of the 18th.

An Inspection showed that not only Guano and

Phosphate rock existed in great abundance, the whole

Atoll (14 miles long by about 3/4 of a mile wide) being

of the most perfect coral formation and offering,

wherever one might dig, a practically unlimited quan-

tity